Kate Middleton's Intimate Maori Greeting, Explained

If you've been tracking the Royal Family's every move during their tour of New Zealand this past week (guilty), or even just a little bit, you may have come across a picture or two of Kate Middleton literally rubbing noses with people she meets.

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While it's easy to assume that on each of these instances the Duchess was caught just a second pre-kiss—or perhaps in the middle of one of the Eskimo variety—she's actually just doing her part as a cultural ambassador. This is hongi, a traditional greeting of New Zealand's Maori people.

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The act, which involves touching one's nose and forehead to another person's, is actually considered the equivalent of a formal handshake. But the hongi has a fascinating history. The tradition originated from the story of the birth of the first earthly Maori woman, Hineahuone, who was made from clay until the Maori god Tāne breathed life into her nostrils. Now, the greeting means "to share breath." By doing so, it is acknowledged that the visitor (in this case, the Duchess) becomes a member of the local people. How cool is this?

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Kate Middleton isn't the only high-profile visitor to take part in this awesome tradition: Hillary Clinton did the hongi back in 2010, as did none other than Wills himself the same year. But Kate has been happy to participate multiple times this trip. She's basically a local now!